Sunrisers seek upward curve against RCB

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will look to maintain their upward curve and virtually book a place in the play-offs when they face Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match here on Friday.

Hyderabad have found form at the right time, winning three consecutive matches to be in fray for a play-off spot. They have won seven of the 12 matches played to claim the third spot in the standings.

They were inconsistent in the beginning but have begun to gel together as a team during the business end of the tournament.

Hyderabad will again bank on the heavy rain-scoring form of opening duo David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan. Aussie Warner has surged to the top of the highest run-maker list with 504 runs from 12 games.

The opening pair has been given sound support by Moises Henriques and Eoin Morgan in their last winning effort against fourth-placed Rajasthan Royals.

The bowling appears strong with Kiwi Trent Boult leading the charge, home-grown talents Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Praveen Kumar in tow. Henriques has also made his mark with the ball.

Their opponents RCB have been similarly guilty of being inconsistent, clinching just six of the 12 matches played to be pegged down at the fifth spot, just a rung below the last play-off position.

RCB were dealt a body blow by Kings XI Punjab by beating them in a rain-hit match on Wednesday at Mohali.

RCB will aim to quickly bounce back from the dispiriting defeat at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium at Hyderabad on Friday.

Their run-making process will again heavily hinge on the “holy trinity” of ball-bashers Chris Gayle, skipper Virat Kohli and South African AB de Villiers while World Cup’s “Player of the Tournament” Aussie Mitchell Starc will provide firepower with the ball. (IANS)